Steubenville Rape Case Coverage

Threat At School Is Probed

Security Increased Around High School

January 9, 2013

STEUBENVILLE - A multi-agency investigation is continuing today into an online threat that prompted Steubenville City Schools to be placed on lockdown for 90 minutes Tuesday.

City Police Chief Bill McCafferty said police patrols have been increased around all city schools today, and the FBI "has been made aware of the shooting threat."

McCafferty said his department participated in a conference call Tuesday with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, the Ohio Highway Patrol and the Fusion Center in Columbus. McCafferty said the Fusion Center coordinates Homeland Security issues.

"Our investigation is still active at this point. We are concerned about any threats and take this very seriously," said McCafferty.

The lockdown was initiated shortly after 8:30 a.m. Tuesday after city police received a phone call from the mother of a city school student.

According to the police report, the student had stayed home sick Tuesday and "observed a threat on his Facebook page that was originally a Tweet from KnightSec that stated the kids who have not been charged in the rape case were to come to a certain location or 'I am going to start killing people.' The juvenile further stated that he tried to access the Tweet again but it had disappeared."

Police searched all city school buildings and determined the threat was not credible before lifting the lockdown.

Students remained in their school buildings during the lockdown.

Steubenville Schools Superintendent Mike McVey said private security guards have been stationed at each school building until further notice.